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Committee debate on county-Federal immigration agreements ends in split vote after amendments
Summary
House Bill 276, which would have required county sheriffs to seek agreements with federal authorities over immigration enforcement and tie federal funding to cooperation, failed in committee after members adopted several amendments but the final roll call was 3–4 against passage.
House Bill 276, which would require county sheriffs to negotiate agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice or Attorney General concerning detention and cooperation in enforcing federal immigration laws and sets reporting and funding consequences, was the most contested item the committee considered.
The bill’s sponsor said the intent was to reduce inconsistency among counties and to enable counties that choose to enter agreements to be eligible for federal funding tied to those agreements. The draft requires sheriffs to “negotiate” with federal officials and directs the state attorney general to receive annual reports on negotiations and outcomes; counties that fail to enter agreements could be made ineligible for state-administered federal law-enforcement funds unless the county reported and documented an attempted negotiation.
Testimony from county law enforcement and county officials highlighted practical and legal concerns. Alan Thompson, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP), told the committee sheriffs support the bill’s policy goals but said the uniform requirement could harm local capacity and bargaining power. Thompson said many sheriffs need time and resources to pursue agreements and that existing agreements are relatively uncommon. “There’s a reason for that,” Thompson said, noting ICE agreements require manpower, training and time. He urged the committee to consider an alternative reporting approach for jurisdictions that do not enter agreements and offered draft language requiring counties to report detainee counts and dispositions to the Attorney General and ICE in lieu of an agreement.
The Wyoming County Commissioners Association submitted amendment language to reduce the required frequency of renegotiation if the U.S. Attorney General declined to agree and to exempt counties from annual reporting if their agreement remains unchanged; the sponsor signaled willingness to accept those changes. Committee amendments adopted a multi-year reprieve if the federal government declined to enter an agreement and added an option for counties to report detention and disposition data in lieu of a formal agreement. The committee also added a sunset provision that will end the law on Jan. 1, 2029, and set the act’s effective date for March 31 to allow time for local implementation.
Despite the amendments, committee members remained split on whether the state should require counties to pursue Federal agreements. A motion to pass the bill as amended failed on a roll-call vote: Representatives Aleman, Angelos and Harrelson voted aye; Representatives Pendergraft, Sherwood, Smith and Chairman Bair voted no. The final tally was 3 ayes, 4 no.
Votes at a glance: House Bill 276 — Motion to pass with committee amendments failed on roll call, 3–4.
If revived later, committee members and stakeholders said they expect additional negotiations and redrafting, including working out the precise reporting form and whether federal funds would be withheld administratively or by statute in specific circumstances.
